Fed Money for PA Police

From the inbox:

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced $1 billion in grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement officers all across the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grants will be awarded to 1,046 law enforcement agencies from all 50 states, including more than $20,163,683 in grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of 93 law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania. These funds will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for these officers for three years. All police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year.

“A big part of the Recovery Act is about building communities – making them as strong as they can be, allowing every American family to live a better life than the one they are leading now,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “And we can’t achieve the goal of stronger communities without supporting those who keep our streets safe.”

The Recovery Act grants, which will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) through the federal agency’s COPS Hiring Recovery Program, provide much needed financial support to state, local and tribal governments, and will help the nation’s law enforcement agencies add and retain the manpower needed to fight crime more effectively through community policing. The Department of Justice received over 7,200 applications for more than 39,000 officer positions, representing a total of $8.3 billion in requested funding.

“These Recovery Act funds will pump much needed resources into communities through a program with a proven track record,” said Attorney General Holder. “The tremendous demand for these grants is indicative of both the tough times our states, cities and tribes are facing, and the unyielding commitment by law enforcement to making our communities safer.”

The COPS Hiring Recovery Program funds were awarded to the following applicants in Pennsylvania:



Agency Name / Officers Awarded / Award Amount

Harrisburg Bureau of Police 8 $1,689,552.00

Philadelphia Police Department 50 $10,903,350.00

Coatesville Police Department 1 $192,716.00

Chester Police Department 5 $970,315.00

Homestead, Borough of 1 $142,493.00

Erie, City of 6 $1,563,720.00

McKees Rocks, Borough of 1 $223,083.00

Norristown Police Department 1 $309,540.00

Sharon, City of 1 $194,901.00

Reading, City of 4 $1,000,100.00

McKeesport, City of 3 $641,763.00

City of Easton Pennsylvania 3 $669,768.00

Aliquippa, City of 1 $133,008.00

Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Department 1 $165,158.00

Rochester Police Department 1 $181,125.00

Williamsport Bureau of Police 3 $644,499.00

Beaver Falls, City of 1 $167,625.00

Knox, Borough of 1 $160,172.00

Wilkinsburg Police Department 1 $210,795.00

The Recovery Act includes $4 billion in Department of Justice grant funding to enhance state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts, including the hiring of new police officers, to combat violence against women, and to fight internet crimes against children. In addition to today’s COPS awards, to date the Department of Justice has awarded $1.7 billion through formula state and local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, $95 million through the Victims of Crime Act Formula Grant Program, $41.5 million for Internet Crimes Against Children initiatives, $127 million in Office on Violence Against Women Recovery Act funds and $8.6 million for assistance for law enforcement along the Southern Border and in high intensity drug trafficking areas.

For more information about the COPS grants, or to learn which law enforcement agencies received funding, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.